This Type Of Alcohol Should Never Be Left Opened On The Shelf. Here's How To Keep It From Expiring Too Soon

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By and large, alcohol has a reputation for having a long, steady shelf life. If bottles are sealed and kept in cooler, darker areas, they tend to keep tasting good for years. However, there are some types of alcohol that do expire, and thus they cannot be stored the same way. Perhaps one of the most notable examples is vermouth.

There's plenty to know about vermouth, but the key fact here is that it's a fortified wine. This means it's a wine (or blend of wines) that has been further blended with a spirit. Botanicals are added, too. Vermouth is a little stronger than regular wine, but not as strong as most spirits, at around 15% to 20% alcohol by volume. That's why it doesn't have the same shelf life as your whiskey or gin. The major enemies of vermouth's freshness are too much light, warm or fluctuating temperatures, and oxygen. All these react with the chemical compounds in the vermouth and cause reactions that alter their flavors and aromas.

Exposure to oxygen leads to oxidation, which can cause unpleasant tasting vermouth within a few weeks. And over longer periods of time, bad vermouth can actually spoil with unsafe microbes and bacteria. The simplest, most crucial storage solution is to always refrigerate vermouth. This keeps it cool, dark, and stable. Refrigerated, vermouth remains in great condition for about six to eight weeks. Nevertheless, some connoisseurs go further with more advanced methods, begging the question: What's the most effective way to make vermouth last?

Always refrigerate vermouth, but if you want to try extending its peak condition a bit longer, some replace oxygen in the bottle with inert gas. Oxygen quickens degradation, and as you use up your bottle, the space begins to fill with oxygen. Replacing that oxygen with inert gas can prevent oxidation. Use Bloxygen Preserver, a food-safe argon gas spray, or a simple Wotor Wine Saver Vacuum Seal Pump to ensure no oxygen gets in. Either approach requires buying supplies for results that prove not too wildly different from refrigeration.

A simpler way to avoid so much head space is to transfer vermouth into smaller bottles as your amount decreases. But this requires having variously sized bottles and, again, doesn't exactly make a world of difference. The easiest, most reliable technique is always basic refrigeration. Buy smaller bottles if you don't go through vermouth quickly. This way, you won't have big bottles with tons of head space hanging around for more than a few weeks.

You may find yourself amazed at how good vermouth is when it's stored properly. In Europe, where vermouth originated, it's a beloved beverage that's even sipped alone. But vermouth's history in America was a bit more complex in that it was long considered an afterthought, just something to splash into a martini. Many bartenders didn't refrigerate it; guests got off-tasting vermouth and assumed they didn't like it. Whether it's sweet or dry, refrigerate your vermouth, enjoy it within six to eight weeks, and prepare to love this fortified wine.